Reutlingen - Guide for Gays, Lesbians and Queers

Reutlingen does not have a gay bar, club or sauna of its own. The gay travel guides list no venue in the city itself, so queer life here runs mainly through a handful of organisations rather than through nightlife. That makes the city quieter than its size might suggest, but there are reliable places to turn to.

The most visible group is the association that organises the city's Pride march in June. Beyond the march it holds open meetings where queer people and allies can get to know the team, follow the planning or take part. Meetings have been held at places such as the Haus der Jugend, the city's youth centre, and the association announces each date on its website.

The other key address is the Aidshilfe Tübingen-Reutlingen, which runs a counselling office in Reutlingen on Rommelsbacher Straße. It describes itself as an important point of contact for the queer community. Its Checkpoint offers anonymous rapid tests for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis C, chlamydia and gonorrhoea, without a name or a health insurance card. People on a low income can be tested free of charge. The Aidshilfe also advises on PrEP and on HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and it runs a support group for people living with HIV or hepatitis C.

For a night out, the nearest regular queer party is LuSchT, which the Aidshilfe organises at the Schlachthaus in Tübingen. Reutlingen also has a history worth knowing: in the early Federal Republic it was the home of the homophile group Kameradschaft "die runde", which published its own magazine for about fifteen years.